Wildman Street fire put down

Dirk Perrefort

Updated 11:54 pm, Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Danbury firefighters were called to the scene of a fire at Colonial Gardens, a residential building of 30 condominium units, on Wildman Street in Danbury on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2012. No injuries were reported.
Photo: Jason Rearick

Danbury firefighters were called to the scene of a fire at Colonial...

Danbury firefighters were called to the scene of a fire at Colonial Gardens, a residential building of 30 condominium units, on Wildman Street in Danbury on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2012. No injuries were reported.
Photo: Jason Rearick

Danbury firefighters were called to the scene of a fire at Colonial...

Danbury firefighters were called to the scene of a fire at Colonial Gardens, a residential building of 30 condominium units, on Wildman Street in Danbury on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2012. No injuries were reported.
Photo: Jason Rearick

Danbury firefighters were called to the scene of a fire at Colonial...

Danbury firefighters were called to the scene of a fire at Colonial Gardens, a residential building of 30 condominium units, on Wildman Street in Danbury on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2012. No injuries were reported.
Photo: Jason Rearick

Danbury firefighters were called to the scene of a fire at Colonial...

Residents of Colonial Gardens, a building with 30 condominium units, wait inside the doorway to the building on Wildman Street in Danbury as firefighters work at the rear of the building on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2012. No injuries were reported in the fire.
Photo: Jason Rearick

DANBURY -- Dozens of families huddled in the cold Tuesday night after a fire broke out in a shed next to a residential building on Wildman Street.

Fire department officials said the blaze, which reached to the second floor of the two-story structure, was contained mostly to the outside of the building, but at least one family likely will be displaced because of damage to their unit.

The fire broke out about 8:30 p.m. The Colonial Gardens building contains 30 condo units that are either owner-occupied or rented, tenants said.

Chaz Hansen, who has lived in the building for more than 20 years, said he was on the couch when he smelled smoke and rushed outside to the rear of the building, where he saw the flames and shingles falling from the roof.

He said he "rushed inside and punched the glass on the fire alarm," before he grabbed a hallway fire extinguisher and tried to put out the flames.

"I ran around the building and knocked on all the doors, telling people to get out."

Assistant Fire Chief Bernie Meehan said the shed and portions of the condo building's exterior were fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.

Engine 23 arrived first, he said, and firefighters with the company quickly put water on the fire to knock it down.

Meehan said the fire had begun to enter the building's soffit, and firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof to make sure the flames hadn't reached the attic.

"We were very fortunate and lucky tonight," he said from the scene. "If the fire had further entered the building, this could have been a lot worse."

Meehan said an official from the fire marshal's office was expected, and the cause of the blaze, which likely started in the shed, was still under investigation.

Hansen said the shed contained mostly desks, some luggage, and a ladder that was used by the condo association.

Meehan said American Red Cross officials were also expected to arrive Tuesday night to help any families displaced by the blaze.